Good news: the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata is getting more power
Mazda has confirmed what had become an open rumor: the 2019 MX-5 Miata is getting a nifty power increase for this new model year. The automaker's perennially-adorable roadster will squeeze 181 horsepower out of its engine, despite no increase in capacity.
In fact, it's the same 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G four-cylinder gas engine as before, though with some refinements for the 2019 model year. Mazda says it has cut down the weight of some of the heavier components, for instance, while reducing friction. We're talking small changes – 27 grams per piston, for instance, or 41 grams per connecting rod – but they do add up. It's also revamped the exhaust manifold, increasing its size.
As a result, as well as 26 horsepower more than the old 2018 MX-5, you also get a higher redline. That's bumped up from 6,800 rpm to 7,500 rpm. Torque sticks at the 151 lb-ft of before.
Just as you'd hope, the six-speed manual transmission is still present and correct. Mazda has massaged the final drive ratio, though, bumping it up from 3.454 to 3.583. An automatic will remain an option, though it's hard to get too enthusiastic about it: this really is a car in which you should row the gears yourself.
Inside, things have got a little more comfortable. There's now a telescoping steering wheel, while Mazda has checked the mandatory reversing camera requirement and the little Miata will help you avoid backing up into a tree. Smart City Brake Support has been added as an option, along with traffic sign recognition.
The styling, frankly, didn't need much in the way of work. The fourth-gen MX-5, after all, is a handsome little beast. Still, there are now new door handles, together with the option of black metallic 17-inch wheels. You can also choose to have a brown canvas soft top instead of the regular black.
Though welcome, none of the changes come as a complete surprise. We got a preview of the boost in power along with the cabin tweaks earlier this month, when reports of the Japanese version of the 2019 MX-5 revealed just what Mazda had been working on. At the time, though, Mazda US refused to comment on whether the same changes would translate to the version of the car sold in North America.
So, consider us pleased today, particularly because total weight has nudged up by just 7 pounds, Mazda says. Not bad given the power boost. The 2019 MX-5 Miata will begin showing up in US Mazda dealerships this fall. Pricing hasn't been confirmed at this point, but we'd expect it to stick somewhere relatively close to the $25,295 starting price for the 2018 model year car.